Critical Care, Long Term Care and Community Support Program Work Together for Mission Success

Published on Connect Magazine, Winter 2011

Katherine Turner, Director, Community Supports Program says, “In an effort to provide the least restrictive and most independent environment, community placement options were investigated. Home support services, accessible housing and assisted living arrangements were proposed and explored. However, due to the limited community housing options and the complexity of client care, the community care alternative was not possible.”

The ICU team then proposed a move to a long term care bed for these patients. But how to make that happen? The answer demonstrates teamwork at its best - a steering committee of 22 people, multi-program teams, and a training program involving 40 staff, resulting in successful transfers to beds at the Hoyles Escasoni Complex.

“We also recognized that these patients did not belong in ICU,” says Melvin Layden, the resident care manager at Hoyles Escasoni Complex. “This was a huge process; we had to first form a steering team, followed by an on-site team and an education team. Everyone had to come together to make this happen. This was not routinely done here in long term care and required a lot of planning.”

In addition to the physical transfer of these patients, Rick said there was a great deal of coordination of equipment and supplies required for these patients. As well, a detailed analysis of cross city resources within respiratory therapy was necessary in order to ensure the transition from acute care to long term care happened.

“Prior to these cases, long term care would have contracted out respiratory services.” says Rick. “However, as a large organization, we have to use our resources effectively to address patients’ needs and we can do that internally with the proper planning, coordination and supports.”